Lost One
by Lilith's Wings
Summary: Eragon disappeared from Du Weldenvarden 12 years ago. Arya is heartbroken but still searches, believing him to be alive. Will she heal her heart and find her everything again?
1. Chapter 1: The Sculpture

Lost One

Chapter 1

Eragon had been missing now for 12 years. I still remembered the day he left me...I missed him so much I wanted to cry. I threw myself into ruling, trying to distract myself from the burning hurt inside me. Was I not good enough for him? That question tormented me in the days following his disappearance. My subjects thought of me as an ice queen, and only my dragon Firnen knew better. _Arya...your subjects have made you something.._ he rumbled, the grating tones wrapping around me.

Firnen was my only solace, my anchor to sanity now. I locked all the memories away, to reappear at a later time. Mounting Firnen, I unconsciously touched the necklace Eragon had given me. A glass ball encircling a bouquet of flowers; a blue lily he had given me, a golden lily from the spirits, a black morning glory from Faolin's plant, some grass from Du Weldenvarden..it was a unique object, hung on a black ribbon.

We took flight as I heard the singing of an elven woman, Fada, who was one of our great singers. She sung the great ballad of how Eragon killed Galbatorix. I shouldn't even have been thinking of him. He left me...I touched my necklace again, squeezing it tight. No, it was time I took it off. I heard the mutters, the whispers of how I still mourned for him, he who had been lost so many years ago. The Lost One.

Firnen grazed the ground as I leapt off his back. "Arya Drottning. Atra esterni' ono thelduin." Blodhgarm said as the werecat Maud bowed. "Atra du evarinya ono varda." I replied, the words familiar to my tongue. Maud leapt; in midair she transformed into a stunning cat. The cat walked to a lump covered by a curtain and whipped it off.

I was speechless. It was the same beautiful sculpture Saphira had made for her first Agaeti Blodhren. "Look," Blodhgarm whispered, pointing to the left side of the sculpture. I kneeled down, not caring if my clothes got dirty. Squinting to make out the words, I asked, "Where…" They were gone.

I traced my hand over it and found something engraved. _To Arya, my love, my everything, From Eragon._ I burst into tears. Firnen shook the ground with the impact of his landing from the sky and asked, _What is wrong?_ I whispered, "He never showed me this. And if I was his everything, then why did he leave me?" Firnen replied, _I do not understand the ways of humans. But he obviously must have loved you very much._ I wished it were true.

Because if I was his everything, he would have known I would miss him everyday, yearn to feel his hand on mine on last time. Tears coursed down my cheeks. Why did you leave me, Eragon?


	2. Chapter 2: Strange Wind

**Yay, I got a review! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter 2

I shook with the force of my sobs. Firnen watched helplessly, his tail lashing in anguish. Then I reminded myself not to be selfish. Firnen had lost his mate: the dragon Saphira had left with Eragon. I stood up and threw the curtain over the statue. Mounting Firnen, we rode back to Tialdari Hall in silence.

My rooms were pretty and let in natural light. A cascade of ivy out the windows served as a curtain. A paperweight with another one of Faolin's black flowers graced one of my two nightstands. The other nightstand held a glass vase intricately molded by Eragon himself to create the form of a dancing woman.

A night blooming flower drooped limply over the mouth of the vase. I took it out and replaced it with a fresh one. My hands trembled as my stomach growled. It was time for lunch. But first. I gently pulled the glass ball off. Gently placing it on the nightstand, I turned it over to reveal the message inscribed. _Forever and always._ But it hadn't been forever. He left me. Did he ever truly love me? I walked down the staircase leading to my room, into the natural marvel that was our hall.

Thin beams of sunlight played hide and seek with the dark green leaves of the vines twining around the fig pillars. A babbling brook rushed by, stones polished by running water glimmering gently in the sun. Pale pink raspberry soup awaited.

I sat down on the provided chair and ate in silence. No one else was there. The soup, normally one of my favorite foods, was tasteless and leaden on my tongue. Only about halfway through the bowl, I stopped and rose. _Firnen!_ I called with my mind. He came crashing through the pillars, breaking a few in the process.

I winced. He was getting a little too big to come in now. His wingspan was greater than Saphira's before she left. _I'll fix the walls later._ Firnen knelt so I could mount. His green underbelly splashed the brook. He walked outside Tialdari Hall and sprang up from the ground. I never got tired of that feeling.

The raw animal power that propelled us. Du Weldenvarden was buzzing with activity; the elf smith Rhunon was teaching one of the elves, Vanir, to make chain mail armor. I hid a smile as she whacked Vanir upside on the head as he dropped a miniscule ring into the blazing fire.

No one saw me. And that was the way I liked it. Better to separate myself from them. A queen must better herself by being impartial, my mother had always said. I miss you, Mother. Suddenly we ran into a raging gale. I tumbled off Firnen's back, clutching at the saddle, but eventually the wind won.

I fell into the forest below.


	3. Chapter 3: Invisibility and Scales

Chapter 3

When I woke up, I was on the forest floor. I couldn't help noticing the verdant flora around me as my ribs emitted a noticeable crack. One or two of my ribs were probably broken. I was lucky not to have more injuries because Firnen and I had been so high up. A wave of pain washed over my chest. I couldn't see Firnen anywhere.

 _Stay calm, Arya._ I struggled to stand up. What kind of elf couldn't bear some pain? Suddenly I heard a whisper from the trees. "Waise heill." It felt itchy at first near my chest, then cold relief ran through my body. I shivered; someone was in those trees, watching me. Quietly, I walked over to the trees, making no noise.

A rustle in the bushes made me suspicious. Surely anyone hiding in those bushes would have seen me creeping over and run away already. Still, I couldn't keep going without checking those bushes. A spark of hope had begun in my heart….what if? Changing my route, I pulled the bushes open and found….a blue shell.

It was bigger than both of my hands combined, and shimmered gaily in the sunlight. But there were no bodies of water near here, excepting Arduen Lake, and that was near Silthrim, a day or two on dragonback.

I pried the bushes wider to get a better look and it was then I saw the smoking black char marks surrounding the shell. _Teleportation...but who would want to send me a blue shell and who would have enough power..?_ The answer presented itself too easily to me: Eragon. Impossible.  
But the color of the shell did match Saphira's scales; wait a minute, it was one of her scales! I felt stupid for not realizing it. They must still be alive. And not far, unless Eragon had grown much more powerful since I last saw him.

I dragged the scale out of the bushes and stood there for a moment, my hands on my hips. Biting my lip, I then noticed brownish patches of dirt where the scale had previously been located. Footprints? But how could I have not noticed someone in the bushes?

Oh. A simple invisibility spell would have sufficed. That's why the bushes had rustled. I was an idiot. Not only because it had taken me so long to figure this out but I had missed meeting Eragon again. Eragon.

Less than half a mile away, a great roar split the sky. The largest dragon I had ever seen rose into the air. _Saphira!_ And where Saphira was, Eragon was not far. Hope burned in my heart. But where was Firnen? I couldn't wait. I began to run, calling Firnen every few seconds. Finally he replied. _Arya? Where have you been, I've been tearing up the forest in search of you!_ I replied, _No time, just come to me, please._

Less than a minute later, he came swooping down as I admired his aquiline grace in the air, his sinewy body flexing and full of muscle, his emerald scales. _Quickly, do you see that blue speck? It's Saphira._ I felt the excitement rushing through Firnen as he lifted his head and roared. I leapt onto his back and felt a twinge.

We set out in pursuit of the ones who had captured our hearts. Eragon..please, be here. Show me you haven't abandoned me...give me another chance.


	4. Chapter 4: Frustration

Chapter 4

We flew together as one. Always following the dot that was always just a little bit ahead. My shoulders were tense. What for? For all I knew, this was a rogue dragon. But what other dragon was the color of glittering sapphires?

Lost in my thoughts, I almost missed the dot banking sharply into the trees. Firnen followed, eager to talk to her. Ouch. A big bushy branch presented itself to my face. _Firnen!_ I scolded. _Oops..._ he said distractedly.

I couldn't blame him. I was distracted too. From above, I saw a clearing. Well shaded and spacious, it could easily fit maybe two dragons of Firnen's size. Saphira was preening her scales with her long crimson tongue tipped with invisible barbules.

 _Down, Firnen!_ I mentally yelled. He shifted underneath me, as if discomforted. My insides were twisting. Firnen touched the ground as I leapt off, impatient to talk with Saphira. _Arya...Eragon has missed you,_ she rumbled. _Saphira! Where is he? Please, tell me._ I pleaded with the seemingly unconcerned behemoth of a dragon.

 _I cannot..I am sorry, I am, Arya. Eragon loved you..he left for a reason._ This was driving me insane, but I knew Firnen must be out of his mind, waiting to talk. _But why? He didn't explain, he didn't tell me, why?_ I felt like this was, no, had been useless to me. Frustration welled up in me as I stepped back and let Firnen talk. Retreating into the trees, I watched them.

 _Saphira!_ He roared joyfully. Throwing her head up, she replied, _You stayed loyal?_ _Always,_ he replied. Then she licked his neck playfully, and from my viewpoint in the trees, I smiled.

They were so happy. It was so pure and uncorrupted. I wished, though it were selfish, that it was Eragon and I. _Selfishness is the bane of many a king or queen._..my mother had taught me that at an early age.

A lump grew in my throat and I couldn't breathe. I sat down on the ground and buried my face between my legs, struggling to hold back tears. My head began to spin and darkness enveloped me.  
At the last second, I was just barely aware of someone enfolding me in their arms. I moved backwards and laid my head on their chest. I was too tired to care who it was. It just felt good to have someone take me in their arms and tell me it would be alright, not in words, but in their movements and body.

It felt good, and I wished Eragon had held me like this, like I was a treasure and he would never let go.

 _Eragon, where are you?_


	5. Chapter 5: Mist

**I'm back! I deleted Chapters 5-12 and am starting anew, this time with fresh ideas. Coincidentally, I found a song called The Dark by Beth Crowley. It fits rather well with this fanfic and it can be found on Youtube or Spotify. Please review and enjoy this new chapter!**

Chapter 5

I woke up with my hair plastered to my cheeks, dripping with tears. A tiny, brittle part of me snapped as I stormed into the clearing and tapped Firnen impatiently. Just seeing him romping around reminded me of the love I was denied.

 _Selfish,_ a voice in my head niggled at me. Irately mounting Firnen, I tapped him with a little more force than was necessary. He dug his heels in, but finally gave in. Saphira mournfully keened after us as he dutifully leapt off the ground and soared into the sky.

My feelings were in turmoil. _What was that about, Arya?_ Firnen's voice thunders through my mind. Ignoring him, I urge him on, faster and faster. Tears prick once more at my eyes, but I convince myself it's just the wind. After what seems like an eternity we reach Tialdari Hall. Leaping off Firnen's back I sprint into the serene hall, up the stairs, and into my room, where I close the canvas cloth that separates the sky and trees from inside.

A light flares in the room, a witchlight. Taking my customary basin of water, set every day on my left nightstand, I sit on the bed and murmur, "Draumr kopa." I try to focus on Eragon's face, the crag of his chin and the messy brown-straw of his hair.

All I see is a misty blur in my mind. Fog over his features. Incoherently I scream in frustration, pounding my fist against the yielding bed, over and over. I throw the basin to the floor and watch it shatter, shards all over the floor. I'm acting like a child. _Get a grip, Arya._ Quietly stepping downstairs I see Firnen in the hall, his great jade eyes inscrutable. A trail of destruction follows him.

 _Why did you do that?_ He rumbles, voice full of disappointment and suppressed anger. _I'm sorry..._ I reply, choking on my next words. Suddenly, his warm, leathery wing wraps around me. _I do not understand elves sometimes,_ he states in clear puzzlement. _And I do not understand dragons sometimes,_ I say, grateful I have a friend to weather storms with.


End file.
